Crucial Infrastructure Projects in Bellingham, Tacoma & Spokane Funded With $51.9M From Cantwell-Championed Grant Program

Crucial Infrastructure Projects in Bellingham, Tacoma & Spokane Funded With $51.9M From Cantwell-Championed Grant Program

Funds will upgrade the Port of Bellingham, reconstruct a crucial Spokane Valley interchange, & rebuild a bridge connecting Tacoma & Fife

EDMONDS, WA - Today, the United States Department of Transportation (DOT) announced $59.1 million for three vital infrastructure projects in Washington state funded by the Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development (BUILD) program, which provides grants for surface transportation infrastructure projects with significant local or regional impact.

Recipients in Washington state included:

The Port of Bellingham received $23.5 million for its Bellingham Shipping Terminal Rehabilitation Phase II: North Pier Rehabilitation. This project will rebuild pier infrastructure, strengthen deck loading capacity, and upgrade mooring systems at a public coastal port. U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), ranking member of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and senior member of the Senate Finance Committee, wrote a letter of support for the project to the DOT.

"The Port of Bellingham plays a vital role in Washington's maritime economy, and this investment will upgrade critical infrastructure needed to move cargo safely and efficiently for decades to come. The upgraded North Pier will reinforce Northwest Washington's role as a gateway for trade by doubling vessel capacity, reducing vessel time in port by 50 percent, and generating an estimated $11.8 million in annual economic impact for Whatcom County," Sen. Cantwell said today.

The City of Spokane Valley received $20.8 million for the Sullivan and Trent Interchange Project. The project will reconstruct the Sullivan Road and Trent Avenue (State Route 290) interchange. Work includes replacing the Sullivan Road bridge over Trent Avenue and extending the bridge over BNSF Railway's tracks, replacing signalized intersections with two roundabouts, widening Sullivan Road to five lanes at the northerly connection of the Bigelow Gulch Corridor at Wellesley Avenue, adding a shared use pathway on one side, installing improved multi-modal lighting, and reconstructing all ADA facilities. Sullivan Road is home to over 9,000 jobs, 85% of which are directly related to freight. Sen. Cantwell wrote a letter of support for the project.

"This investment will modernize one of eastern Washington's most important freight corridors by reducing congestion, improving safety, and keeping goods moving through Spokane Valley more efficiently. Upgrading the Sullivan and Trent interchange will improve travel for 30,000 daily commuters, facilitate the movement of 10 million tons of freight each year, support thousands of jobs, strengthen our regional economy, and help businesses move products faster and more reliably," Sen. Cantwell said today.

The City of Tacoma received $7.6 million to replace the Fishing Wars Memorial Bridge. The project will fund environmental analysis and design to replace four closed bridges with one bridge that re-connects the City of Tacoma with the City of Fife. Sen. Cantwell wrote a letter of support for the project.

"Replacing the Fishing Wars Memorial Bridge is essential to restoring a critical freight and commuter connection that supports the Port of Tacoma, Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Tribal communities, and thousands of Washington jobs. Before its closure in 2023, more than 15,000 vehicles used the bridge each day. This federal investment will help Tacoma complete the planning needed to reopen the corridor and replace the bridge with a safer, stronger crossing that improves mobility, strengthens our supply chains, and keeps our economy moving," Sen. Cantwell said.

As chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation at the time, Sen. Cantwell helped secure $7.5 billion for the BUILD program, at the time called the RAISE program - a 50% annual increase - in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law signed into law by President Joe Biden in 2021. Now, as ranking member, she continues to champion the program and support surface transportation projects across the Pacific Northwest.